A chili cook-off scheduled for lunch on April 8 for Nacogdoches High School staff will also double as a fundraiser, with bowls created by NHS art students for sale. Half the proceeds will go to Nacogdoches HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) and half will go back into the art program at NHS.
Teacher Maranda Marshall planned the fundraiser in her first year back at Nacogdoches High School; she previously taught art at NHS before going to Emeline Carpenter Elementary.
On April 8 – which is a student holiday and professional development day (or, work day) for NISD staff – teachers will have a chance to buy a student-made bowl for $10.
“When our faculty and staff here at the high school find out their students are making bowls, they want to help out,” Marshall said.
Marshall’s students have created 300 bowls that will be up for sale. Parents also get in on the fun, oftentimes buying their own child’s bowl.
Students in Marshall’s fifth period ceramics class described having “artistic freedom” to create in Marshall’s class.
“We can make anything we like,” said Kristin Culver, a senior at NHS. “[Marshall] encourages us to do more with our artwork.”
On Tuesday, Kristin and Annabelle Skinner were applying glaze to ceramic bowls. They had already finished their bowls for the fundraiser.
“She pushes us to go farther in our artwork,” Annabelle said.
At next week’s lunchtime chili cook-off, judges will rate the best efforts and rank them first, second and third. The same thing goes for the bowls created by students.
Any bowls remaining will be available for the public to purchase during NISD’s Fine Arts Showcase taking place at NHS on Saturday, April 13.